Support for geometrical instruments



April 30, 1935. o. F. BUZHARDT 1,999,925

SUPPORT FOR GEOMETRIQAL INSTRUMENTS Filed April 10, 1934 Q2 b P Patented Apr. 30, 1935 m STATES PATENT oFFicE'Y sUrPoR'r FOR GEOMETRICAL INSTRUMENTS on, F. Buzhardt, Greenville, s. 0. Application April'10, 1934, Serial No. 719,939 p Claims. (o1. 248-2) device of the above mentioned character which may be employedto obtain right angle "positions, "ata constant height of the instrument.

A further object of the invention is to'pr'ovide means whereby the device may also be employed as a ranging implement.

" Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the'following description.

-In the accompanying drawing, forminga' part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, V i v Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention, a

-Fig'ure 2 is a central vertical longitudinalsection through the device, and, v

- Figure? is a perspective view, separate; of the 'relativelyrotatable elements included in' the'de vlce.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown 'a preferred embodiment of my inventiomthe numeral 5 designates an upstanding or vertical rod or supportifig member, preferably of wood. This rod is preferably cylindrical throughout the major'portion of itslength, and is provided at its lowerend with flat faces '6, as shown. r a I The numeral I designates an anchor'element or foot, preferably in the form of an elongated flat metal plate. 'Rigidly attached to the top surface of this foot or plate, near its center, are straps 8, preferably formed 'of metal-and disposed at a right angle to the same. These straps have elongated slots 9, receiving bolts l0, passing through the lower end 10f the rod 5,-at the fiat face 6. These bolts carry winged nuts H, as shown. It is thus seen that the rod 5 may be vertically adjusted with relation to the straps 8 clamp members may be locked to the foot or upon the rod by frictional engagement'or byany certained line. The foot or-plate l is provided centrally thereof with an opening l3, arranged between the straps 8, for removably receiving a prong, to be described.

The numerals M'and l5 designate companion 5 clamp members} having depending'flanges E6, to fit within notches i'l form ed in 'the side edges of thefoot or plate 1. These clamp members also have lip-standing flanges I! and i8, respectively. The up-standing flange I8 carries a winged bolt 10 59, having a swiveled connection therewith. This bolt also ha's screw-threaded engagement at 2!] withthe up-standing flange ll. By proper manipulation of the bolt 19 the clamp including the plate 1, or removed therefrom-. The clamp-mem ber M has a depending prong 2i, rigidly secured thereto, and adapted-to pass through the'opening other suitable means. A preferably circular plate or disk 23'is' rigidlyattached to the upperend "of 'the' sleeve 22, and is arranged in concentric V relation thereto and extends radially beyond the sleeve for a substantial distan'ca'as shown. 'A companion preferably circular plate 'or' disk 24 is mounted upon the plate or disk- 23, in concentric relation thereto, andis rotatable with relation to the same. The lower plate or disk 23 has depressions or recesses 25 formed in its upper surface and these depressions are preferably spaced apart. The upper plate or disk-'24 has a corresponding number of projections or lugs 25,- also spaced 90 apart, and adapted to enter the recesses or depressions 25. v v p Arranged upon the upper surface of the upper disk 24 1s a hand level holding element, which is U-shaped in cross section. The hand level is inserted"'withi n this holding element, and is clamped therein by adjustablebolts 26', as shown, The holding element 26 extends-diametrically of upper disk, and. one pair of the lugs 25 is disposed at the central longitudinal axis of the hold- I ing element. A vertical depending pin 27 is rigidly connected at its upper end with the disk 24 and holding element 26 and serves to rigidly connect these parts, so that the elements 24, 26, and 21, move as a unit. The pin' is slidably mounted in an opening 28, disposed centrally of the plate or disk 23. The pin 21 projects below the plate or disk 25 and is arranged within a longitudinal opening or chamber 29, formed in the upper end of the rod 5. A, compressible coil spring 30 surrounds the pin 2'! and engages the stationary plate or disk 23 and a cotter pin 3| adapted for insertion in selected openings 32, formed in the pin 21. 1

A window 33 is provided whereby access may be had to the chamber 29 for lubrication or the like, and for the manipulation of the cotter pin 3!.

.The operation of the device is as follows:

In topographic field work, with a given line,

the device is positioned over this line, and the prongs l2 are forced into the ground at or through the line. The rod 5 is, of course, ad-

jjusted to the selected elevation. The holding element 26 is now parallel with this line. By turning the upper plate or disk 24, the same being free to rise in opposition to the spring 30,

' the lugs 25 will leave the first set of recesses 25 and enter the next set, whereby the upper plate 24 is again held in the adjusted position at from the original position. In a similar manner the upper plate may be moved to the remaining adjusted positions, at 90, throughoutthe remaining 360. While it is preferred to provide the adjustment for holding or locking of the upper plate, at the 90 positions, the invention is not necessarily restricted to this precise arrangement, as other angular arrangements of there,- cesses and lugs may be had. i g

Asxstated, the long prong 2| and clamp are only used -when the device is employed for rangins purposes. w

, It .is to be understoodthat vention herewith shownand described is tobe taken as a preferred example of the invention,

and that various changes in the shape,v size, and

arrangement of parts, may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the sub-joined claims. Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new is: 7 1 V 1. In a geometrical instrument, a rod adapted to be substantially vertically arranged in use and provided at its lower end with a ground engaging part and having a longitudinal bore extending through its upper end and a window leading into the bore, a substantially horizontal plate secured to the upper end'of the rod and having an opening in'communication with the bore and also having spaced recesses, an upper substantially horizontal plate mounted upon the first named plate for rotation withrelation thereto and having a projectionto-enter the recesses, a pin secured to the upper disk and projecting below the same and the form of my in 2. A rod to be vertically arranged in use, a sleeve mounted upon the rod, a plate carried by the sleeve, a second plate arranged upon the first plate, said plates having releasable holding parts, a pin secured to the second plate and extending through the first plate to pivotally connect them, a spring mounted around the pin between an abutment upon the pin and the first mentioned plate and serving to draw the plates together,

said sleeve serving to house the pin and spring and also serving to attach the first named plate to the rod, and means mounted upon the second named plate for holding an instrument.

3. In a geometrical instrument, a rod adapted to be substantially vertically disposed in use, a fiat relatively wide plate attached to the lower end of the rod and disposed at substantially a right angle thereto, said plate being provided substantially centrally thereof with an opening, a pair'of depending prongs arranged beneath the plate and attached thereto and disposed upon opposite sides of said opening, said prongs and opening being in alignment, an adjustable twopart clamp mounted upon the upperside of the plate, and a prong attached to one part ofthe clamp and extending downwardly throughj-the opening of the plate, the last named prong being longer than the first named prongs, a hand level holding deviceandadjustable means connecting the device with the upper end of the rod so that r such device mayv be turned in a substantially horizontal plane about substantially the longitudinal axis of the rod.

4. In a geometrical instrument, a rod adapted to be substantially vertically arrangedin use, a relatively wide plate arranged near and Joeneath the rod, a pair of spaced straps arrangedabove the plate and attached thereto and having lon gitudinal slots, said straps being arranged upon opposite sides of the rod, clamping means carried by the rod and extending through the slots andso constructed thatthe rod may beraised and lowered with relation to the plate and clamp to the straps in a selected adjusted elevation, depending spaced prongs carried by the-plate and adapted to be inserted in the ground-at a given line, a horizontal plate pivotally mounted upon the upper end of the rod to be turned at substan tially a horizontal plane, means to hold the plate at a selected adjusted horizontal position, and a holding element carried by the plate.

5. A rodto be substantially vertically arranged in use, a sleeve carried; bythe upper end of the rod and having a window formed in its side, a

lowenplate attached to the sleeve and havingv an opening, an upper plate mounted upon the lower plate, said plates havingg-releasable holding means, a pin secured to the upper plate and ex ,tending through the opening inthe lower plate and servingto pivotally connect the plates, at stop, element detachably connected with the pin and removable through ,the window, a spring mounted upon the pin and engaging the lower plate and the stop element to draw the plates together, the sleeve. serving to house the pinand springand to connect the lower plate with the rod, and a holding device mounted upon the upper p ate. v v y OTIO F. BUZHARDT. 

